Equalizer supports



Jan. 7, 1958 H. M. CREGIER 2,

EQUALIZER SUPPORTS Filed June 10; 1 955 &\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'\\\\\\, w F'G'4 FIG 3 M45417 ATTORNEY EQUALIZER SUPPORTS Harry M. Cregier,Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to Alco Products, Incorporated, New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 10, 1955, Serial No.514,551

7 Claims. (Cl. 105-223) This invention relates to equalizer bars for useon railway car trucks and particularly to" means to secure suchequalizer bars to the journal boxes.

Equalizer bars for railway car trucks are units of heavy weight thatfunction to support the. entire superstructure of the vehicle. Theirends rest upon the journal boxes. Accordingly, whenever the journalboxes move vertically in reference to each other, the equalizer tilts.For example, when the truck encounters a track irregularity and theleading wheel and axle assembly is suddenly raised vertically, theforward journal box moves upwardly in relation to the rear journal boxand the equalizer tilts. Provision should be made for such tilting. Afurther requirement for an equalizer is that it be centered on thejournal box and prevented from moving on the journal box in thedirection of its longitudinal axis. If it is permitted to shift olfcenter, its great weight is likely to cause the box to cock.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a novelsupport structure for an equalizer bar on a journal box which permitstilting or rocking movement of the bar but prevents its fore and aftmovement in relation to the journal box. A further object is to providesuch a structure which maintains the equalizer bar centered on thejournal box thus preventing cocking of the latter. Another object is toprovide such a structure which is composed of inexpensive and easilyreplaceable elements.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appendedclaims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a portion of a railway vehicle truck towhich the structure of the invention is applied, such truck portionincluding a wheel, a journal box, and portions of a frame and equalizerbar;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the invented structure showing the end of anequalizer bar disposed thereon;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter which forms part of theinvented structure; and,

Fig. 4 is a cross section on an enlarged scale taken on line 44 of Fig.2.

Refer now to Fig. 1 of the drawing in which is one of the wheels of awheel and axle assembly of a railway truck, 11 is a portion of the truckframe, 12 is a pedestal integral with the frame, 13 is a journal boxmounted on the axle 13a, 14 is an equalizer bar (shown in fragment), 15is an adapter seated upon the journal box to support the end of theequalizer which rests directly upon it, and 16 is a pin extendingthrough the equalizer to connect the latter to the adapter. v

The adapter, which is best illustrated in the perspective view shown inFig. 3, is arranged on the top of the journal box so that its center ofgravity is in vertical alignment with the axis of axle 13a. It consistsof a base plate 17 and a box-like body 18 either integral with the baseplate or rigidly secured thereto by conventional means. The adapter bodyhas a base 19 and a pair of parallel upstanding side walls 21 in each ofwhich is a notch 22! The bottom surface of each notch is curved,

for the reception of the pin 16 which extends through a hole formed inthe equalizer transversely to its longitudinal axis. The notches arearranged opposite each other and are open at the top. They extend onlypart way through the side Walls of the adapter so that wall portions 23maintain the pin in position. Clearance is provided between pin 16 andthe bottom surface of notch 22 so that there is no contact between thepin and notch. The

pin, therefore, in no way supports the equalizer; it functions merely toconnect the equalizer and adapter, to preventaxial movement of theformer in relation to the latter,

The top Wall 24 of the journal box is provided with a: rectangularrecess 25 into which the base plate 17 of the;

adapter is snugly fitted. Movement of the adapter in relation to thejournal box is thus prevented; and since pin 16 prevents axial movementof the equalizer in relation to the adapter, the equalizer is fixedaxially in relation to 1 It is obvious that plate 17 can be disthejournal box. pensed with and that the adapter unit can be secuerddirectly to the top of the journal box as by welding. It is alsoapparent that base 19 could be dispensed with and that the upstandingwalls 21 could be made integral with the journal box or secured theretoas by welding.

The bottom surface 26 of the end of the equalizer is curved to permitthe equalizer to tilt or rock in reference to the journal box. Pin 16permits such rotation. The center of curvature of the equalizer curvedportion is disposed in vertical alignment with the axis A of the axle13a so that the downward forces exerted by the equalizer will not cockthe journal box. The equalizer is shown as resting upon base 19; but, ifdesired, base 19 and base plate 17 can be dispensed with. In such case,the equalizer will rest directly upon the journal box top.

While there has been hereinbefore described an approved embodiment ofthis invention, it will be understood that many and various changes andmodifications in form, arrangement of parts and details of constructionthereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention,and that all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope ofthe appended claims are contemplated as a part of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A structure to support an equalizer bar upon a journal box of arailway vehicle comprising supporting means on the box top, a curvedportion on the equalizer bar resting on the supporting means to permitthe bar to tilt thereon, upstanding engaging walls on the supportingmeans, and an element extending laterally from the equalizer bar torotatably engage such upstanding walls, said walls coacting with saidelement to prevent axial move ment of the bar in relation to the box butto permit rotation of the bar in relation to the box.

2. A structure, according to claim 1, in which the center of curvatureof the curved portion of the equalizer bar is located vertically abovethe transverse center line of the journal box top.

3. A structure to support an equalizer bar upon a journal box of arailway vehicle comprising fiat surfaced supporting means on the journalbox, a curvedportion on the bar resting on said flat surfaced supportingmeans to permit the bar to tilt upon the box, said bar being providedwith a transverse opening therethrough, a pair of elements secured tothe supporting means and extending upwardly therefrom on opposite sidesof the bar, a pair of opposed notches in said elements, and a pinextending through the bar opening into said notches, said pin preventingthe bar from moving axially in relation to the box but permitting it totilt thereupon.

4, A structure to support an equalizer bar upon a jour- 2,818,821.Patented Jan. 7, 1958' nalbox of'a'railway vehicle comprising flatsurfaced supporting meanson the journal box, a curved portion on'theequalizer bar resting on said flat surfaced supporting means to permitthe bar to tilt upon the box, said bar being provided with a transverseopening therethrough, apairof 'walls secured to andextendingupwardlyirom the supporting means on opposite sidesofthe'bar,za notch in each of 'said walls opposite said hole,andaplmextending through the bar opening intothe opposedenotches, said,p'in preventing .the barlfrom moving vaxially in relationtolthe .boxbut permitting it to tilt thereupon.

'5. 1A structure tosupport an equalizer vbar upon a,-journllbox of .arailway vehicle comprising the journal-box top wall; Ta recess .in saidwallformingwallstransverse to the-axis to'ffthe equalizeribaryan adaptermounte'dimsaid recess; 'a base plate forming .part ofthe.adapter,-ssaidrbase plate fittinglinto the recess to engage i tstransversewalls; a burvedportion on .the .bar resting onhsaidtbaseplateya second portion on the bar having an opening extendingtherethroughtransverse to the axis of the bar; a; pair'.of side Wallsforming part :ofihe adapter and,projecting.upwar'dly .on opposite sides.of the bar; opposed notches in the side wallsgtan d a pin extendingthrough said transverse bar o'pening'into .the notches, said ,pinpreventing the .bar

from moving axiallyin relationto the box but;permitting v25 it'to tiltthereupon.

26. l hstructure, according .to=claim 5,1in which thecen- 'ter ofcurvature of the curved portion on the equalizer bar is locatedvertically above .the transverse center .line of the journal box top.

7. An adapter to be disposed on a journal box to support and hold anequalizer bar having a curved end and elements extending laterallytherefrom adjacent the curved end, said adaptertcomprising a base plate,a pair of side Walls projecting upwardly from said base plate in spacedrelation, rand-opposed notches in said side walls, the base plate, theside walls, and the notches coacting with the curvcdendandllateralelements of the equalizer bar to permit the bar to tilt in relationto-the base plate but preventing it from moving axially thereof.

Refcrences Citeddn the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,593,249 Draper July 20, 1926 1,823,884 Brittain Sept. 22, 19311,866,264 iMelcher July 5, 1932 2,073,533 Batz et a1 Mar. '9, 1 9372,558,709 :Miller June 26, '1-951 FOREIGN PATENTS 1 $77,399 ital-y,Sept. :8, 1 -930

